Chatsworth – The Housekeeper’s Tale

The wonderful new book was published on 1 November on a wave of enthusiastic press features. Written by Christine Robinson, a member of the Chatsworth House team for 40 years and Head Housekeeper for the last eight years, ‘Chatsworth – The Housekeeper’s Tale‘, records the adventures that have filled her life as one of the Chatsworth family.

The 12th Duke, who generously wrote the foreword to the book, says,

‘Christine Robinson and her family have been deeply involved in Chatsworth for several generations as has that of her husband, Clive. They have lived in the midst of this unusual Estate for most of their lives and this book is thus a fascinating and authoritative account of what goes on and who does what.

‘Unusually, and despite the years she has worked at Chatsworth Christine, is still enthusiastic about the changes that have happened over the years, and especially in the last eight years since my wife and I have been living here. Many people perceive the changes as a criticism of what went before, but Christine realizes that this is not the case, just a matter of the same objective being pursued by a different route.

‘This is a beautifully written book, full of new stories and fresh facts, and … for these alone it is worth reading.’

The book has also been endorsed by Alan Titchmarsh and Adam Henson.

For generations Christine’s family, and that of her husband, have worked on the Chatsworth Estate, walked the land, raised their children, and played their part in making Chatsworth the vibrant, compelling and enthralling place that is enjoyed by tens of thousands of visitors every year. Of course, much has changed in the last 40 years but as Head Housekeeper, she probably knows Chatsworth better than most. Her tale invites the reader to go beyond the door marked ‘private’ and join her on a fascinating journey through the day-to-day care of one of England’s best-loved country houses, revealing an enticing hidden story of parties and celebrations along the way.